Contents

2007

In 2007, her first year as a Senior Gymnast, she was the
Australian Balance Beam Champion. Mitchell competed at the 2007 World
Artistic Gymnastics Championships where the Australian team
finished a disappointing 11th in the preliminary competition.
However, Mitchell qualified for the Balance Beam event final, where
she placed a very respectable 5th, equalling Monette Russo as
Australia's highest ever finisher in a Balance Beam World Final
[2].
Mitchell later stated that she was nervous prior to the final, but
pretended she was in training to calm her nerves[3].

After her strong showing at her debut World Championships,
Lauren went on to compete in several international events. At the
DTB Cup in Germany, she won
a Silver Medal on Beam and a Bronze medal on floor [4]. She
followed this up at the Good Luck Beijing event held at what will
be the venue for the 2008 Summer Olympics, she won the
silver medal on the balance beam in what was a very competitive
line up [5].

2008

In December 2008 Mitchell became the first Australian gymnast to
win a gold medal at a World Cup final when she won gold on the
balance beam in Madrid.[6] She
would also, technically, hold the title indefinitely as the World
Cup Final series was since disbanded.

2009

In July 2009, Lauren took first place in the all-around at the
Australian National Championships in Perth with a score of 112.325
to claim her first national title.[7] She
also won titles on uneven bars,[8]balance beam,[9] and floor
exercise[10]
convincingly. After two successful days of trial competition in
Canberra, including a new Yurchenko double vault, Lauren was named
to the 2009 London World Championships team. She is slated to
compete on all four apparatus as all-around qualification and has a
good chance to make beam or floor finals. She currently attends
Iona Presentation College, Mosman Park.

In October at the 2009 London
World Championships, Mitchell finished fourth all-around[11]
by only 0.025, which was especially disappointing since she took a
0.1 deduction on floor for stepping out of bounds.[11]
Mitchell rallied during the apparatus finals by winning two silver
medals, the highest placing of any Australian gymnast at a World
level. She won the silver on balance beam with a score of 14.825,
.125 behind Deng
Linlin, and won silver on floor with a score of 14.550, .100
behind Beth
Tweddle.